A Little Inspiration

Earlier this week I attended a Back-to-School retreat with my fellow teachers. It was good times and while we were there I heard this song and instantly loved it. I'm not a huge Christian music fan but this one really hooked my ear, it's Something to Say, by Matthew West. Apparently there's not an "official" video so this will have to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSVGocVpLko

Yummmm!

Here's a great new recipe that I just made tonight. It'd be to die for on a cold winter day, but I was just happy to find yet another way to cook ground turkey and zucchini. Enjoy!

TASTY LASAGNA CHILI

1 C coarsely chopped zucchini
1/2 C coarsely chopped onion
1 lb. sweet Italian turkey sausage (4 links)
2 garlic cloves - pressed
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 cans (14-14.5 oz. each) beef broth
1 C water
1 1/2 C (4 oz.) uncooked pasta nuggets - Radiatore
2 tbsp. snipped basil (optional)
1 can of mushrooms

Coarsely chop zucchini and onions; set aside zucchini. Remove casings from sausage; discard casings. Heat a 4 qt casserole pan over medium heat until hot. Add sausage, onion, and garlic; cook sausage 8-10 minutes until no longer pink, break into crumbles; drain.

Add spaghetti sauce, broth and water; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 7 minutes. Stir zucchini and mushrooms into chili; cook 2-4 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat; stir basil into soup, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls.

Yield: 6 servings (8 cups)

The Magic of Books

Like her mother, Sweet P loves books. She gets excited to visit the library, mostly to play in their children's area, but also to pick out some new reads. It is not uncommon to find her sitting in her bed reading to her "friends", a diverse group of stuffed animals and one rubber ducky. Another favorite pastime is pretending to be a librarian and to check out the books and DVDs on our book shelf (she scans them with her cash register - beep). She loves to be read to and to retell all of the stories in her own way. We're always looking for the next coveted "favorite book", the one she just can't put down until I've read it 100 million times. So for all you readers looking for that next book your child will fall in love with..... here's some of Sweet P's recent faves.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star - We love the textured, glittering star on every page.

Maisy Big, Maisy Small - We're addicted to Maisy and her crazy days.

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? - The repetition is intoxicating to toddlers.

Fast Food - All the images are created from fruits & vegetables. A healthy and humorous read.

Foggy, Foggy Forest - Step into a fairytale fog as you wander through the vellum pages. We love to guess what the shadows are that are veiled in fog. Sweet P delights in the mystery and magic of it.

I Ain't Your Babysitter

Sweet P and I breezed over to a local swimming hole today to fit in one more "beach" trip while the weather is still good. We've enjoyed several afternoons there over the past months. It's a great fit for us because it's a short drive from home, offers a playground & picnic area, the beach is sandy and the lake is spring fed, therefore generally crystal clear and fresh feeling.

However, during our trips I always find myself feeling dumbstruck at the number of parents that do not supervise their children while they play in the water. "I hate to tell you lady, but that life jacket isn't an insurance policy that your 4 year old won't drown while you take a siesta up on the beach. And I wouldn't put too much stake in the seventeen year old life guards laughing up in the guard house either." Am I over protective? Perhaps, but I'm not an idiot either. If Sweet P is past the knees you better believe that I am in that water within an arms reach.

Too often kids will ask to join us in play, and their parents are half way from here to Indiana away. There are always young kids running around that you never match up with an adult figure (did they drop them off?). Today, I got to "entertain" a little boy while his mom/caregiver? talked on the phone, texted, fiddled with a CD player, and enjoyed a nap. "Gee lady, glad you had a chance to relax while I tried to keep junior out of the deep water!"

I always find this situation troublesome. "Listen, you irresponsible parents, it's not my job to watch your kid, but if I don't who will?" Well reader - help me out here. How would YOU handle this troublesome, and potentially dangerous, situation?

Jesus in My Heart

Sweet P is nearly 3 and over the course of her infant and toddler hood, I have tried to impart my Christian beliefs to her during those teachable moments. After all, I think all parents want their children to grow up with Christian values and morals; doing good for their fellow man. Over time, we've covered the core of the basics so she knows about God and Jesus, she know she's supposed to treat people with love, etc.

Well, today we had an Aha! moment when I just thought I would melt. Sweet P actually woke me up this morning by crawling into bed to snuggle. We were laying there talking when I reached over to touch the picture on her pj top. I started to tickle her when she quickly grabbed my hand, looked me in the eyes with great intensity and said, "Stop, your going to break Jesus in my heart."

My sweet child literally thinks Jesus is living in her heart (don't ever lose that baby) and that he must be protected from assault. Oh, to see the look on her face which showed she was afraid that I would break him if I tickled too much.

After I came out of my state of awe I remembered the one time when I had told her that "Jesus lives in your heart". I can't believe she was listening AND actually remembered it! Wow. It was so heart warming to see that my daughter is learning about her faith even if it is in a childlike sense. As she grows I pray that she will always let God live in her heart and guide her.

Pepto Bismal & Blueberries

Early today, in the wee hours of the morning, I was tortured with one of those frantic dreams in which you are searching for something but cannot find it. In my dream I was desperately searching for some Pepto Bismal. There was no rhyme or reason to it, I just had to find some Pepto. I opened my linen closet to find 3 expired bottles, I ran to my in-laws only to find more expired Pepto. Then I watched myself appear in a sequence of desperate attempts to locate the pink concoction in Meijer , Walgreens, and Rite Aid. Needless to say I woke without having found any Pepto Bismal. In my alert state, I had just enough time to register in my mind that I was having this weird trippy dream before an intense cramping attacked my intestines. Good Lord! Clearly my subconscious was wise to something that my unconscious sleeping self wasn't.



Upon reflection, I may have indulged in too many of the delicious fresh blueberries that my aunt and uncle had brought me earlier that day. Apparently the system can't handle them like it used to.

Summer Break by the Numbers

A week from today I will back to work after a brief 3 months off. It's been great, and I wrestle with going back, but it's time. Therefore, it's also time to pause and reflect on a summer well spent. Here are the highlights of my summer by the numbers.

1 bedroom freshly painted
1 bridal shower
1 lakeside wedding
3 teacher in service days (it was actually fun)
3 trips to the zoo
1 Fourth of July parade and picnic
1 family vacation
5-6 trips to the beach
1 morning exploring the botanical gardens
2 county fairs
4 trips to the farmer's market
1 new driveway
1 new shed
1 newly landscaped flower bed
10 enrichment classes at the YMCA for Sweet P
12 Zumba classes for me
1 ice cream social
1 shopping trip
* trips to the ice cream parlor (too many to count)
* time with family and friends (never enough)

Soak Up the Sun

Despite yesterdays horrible weather, this weekend has turned out pretty well. The weather cleared up last night just in time for our ice cream social. Although the weather was rain forest like, I believe that a bountiful amount of ice cream was enjoyed by those that braved the heat.

Today's weather was tip top - Sweet P and I met up with my parents, as well as my brother and his wife at the lake to soak up some sun. My mom made a delicious picnic of fried chicken and potato salad. J brought a yummy mix of veggies in some sort of savory dressing while I brought leftover watermelon. To say the least, I was outdone.

The sweltering heat was cause enough to spend the majority of our day floating and splashing in the water. Sweet P LOVES the water and had to be dragged out with her teeth chattering. I am feeling a bit crispy because, although I slather sun block all over my child, I never quite get to putting it on myself. So am feeling like a bit of a Magda/Smoky Topaz right now. Ouch.

Good times, good times.

Now That's What I Need

As I was leafing through the "Off to College" adds in the JCPenney mailer I came across this....

This is the Elite Breakfast Station. I am a major fan of breakfast and therefore gasped aloud when I took in what lay before my eyes. This miracle of modern innovation includes a toaster oven, coffee maker, and skillet/griddle. Theoretically, I could brew my coffee, toast an English muffin and scramble me up some eggs and bacon all within a few cubic feet of one another. I was also intrigued because I am the owner of a rather small kitchen with minimal counter space. Imagine people - one unit (also one plug for us OCD people that don't like messy cords everywhere) but three practical functions. Ooh I need this.

Realistically, it probably is a hot mess to clean up being that the skillet/griddle is on top, but perhaps I could overlook that minor detail in an otherwise perfect concept. So if you're listening Santa, I've been a really good girl this year, and I'm just not happy if I don't have a hot breakfast.

Zoobies

After wrangling with the magazine company for two months (a slight misunderstanding on the address), C finally got her little Zoobies magazine in the mail. I decided to get C a subscription because, as her mother, I love getting things in the mail. Now if a mature 30 something still gets geeked about receiving mail then surely a toddler would too. And she did!




This is the May/June issue of Zoobies which I fell in love with instantly. It is designed just like a board book for toddlers. It was filled with adorable, yet informative, facts and pictures about penguins (Got to push that informational text ya know). An instant hit with the Biscuit. We read it 3 times as soon as it came out of the mail box. Not only did she love it, but it also included enrichment ideas for parents too, so I loved it! We cannot wait until the next issue arrives for us to devour. I'll admit the subscription wasn't real cheap, but considering the durability of the magazine, I know it'll last a little longer for her to enjoy. Zoobies magazine - A great success!

Reality Check

Ummmm, pardon me, but just when exactly did August sneak up on us? Secondly, how is it possible that I only have 14 days of summer left before I have to "get back to business"?????? In June the summer stretched endlessly out before me, but now...... I only have two weeks of blissful freedom and sloth left. The Biscuit and I will never be able to operate on a schedule! After 2 months of moving at our own pace I can't even imagine having to be somewhere before 9:00. Not to mention that to make that happen I will have to have waken up, cleaned and dressed two people, put makeup on, eaten breakfast, do the daycare drop-off, and have enough presence of mind to teach the young minds of the future EVERY day for the next nine months. Good Lord, help me!